u will certainly be
hanged. It is my duty to arrest you and I am going to do it."

Isaac's hand was still extended. This time he had lowered the muzzle
of his pistol. The inspector was only human and he paused, for he
was looking straight into the mouth of it. Isaac slowly backed
toward the door.

"Remember, you are warned!" he cried. "If any one pursues me, I
shoot!"

His departure was so sudden and so speedy that he was down the
first flight of stairs before the inspector started. Arnold, who was
nearest the door, made a movement as though to follow, but Ruth
threw her arms around him. The policeman who had been examining the
other room rushed past them both.

"You shall not go!" Ruth sobbed. "It is no affair of yours. It is
between the police and Isaac."

"I want to stop his shooting," Arnold replied. "He must be mad to
use firearms against the police. Let me go, Ruth."

"You can't!" she shrieked. "You can't catch him now!"

Then she suddenly held her ears. Three times quickly they heard the
report of the pistol. There was a moment's silence, then more shots.
Arnold picked Ruth up in his arms and, running with her across the
landing, laid her in his own easy-chair.

"I must see what has happened!" he exclaimed, breathlessly. "Wait
here."

She was powerless to resist him. He tore himself free from the
clutch of her fingers and rushed down the stairs, expecting every
moment to come across the body of one of the policemen. To his
immense relief, he reached the street without discovering any signs
of the tragedy he feared. Adam Street was deserted, but in the
gardens below the Terrace he could hear the sound of voices, and a
torn piece of clothing hung from the spike of one of the railings.
Isaac had evidently made for the gardens and the river. The sound of
the chase grew fainter and fainter, and there were no more shots.
Arnold, after a few minutes' hesitation, turned round and reclimbed
the stairs. The place smelt of gunpowder, and little puffs of smoke
were curling upwards.

Arrived on the top landing, he closed the door of Isaac's room and
entered his own apartment. Ruth had dragged herself to the window
and was leaning out.

"He has gone across the gardens," she cried breathlessly. "I saw him
running. Perhaps he will get away, after all. I saw one of the
policemen fall down, and he was quite a long way ahead then."

"At any rate, no harm was done by the firing," Arnold declared. "I
don't think he